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LA Sparks introduce Erica Wheeler at virtual press conference

Photo Credit: Lamar Carter

While the Los Angeles Sparks may have lost Candace Parker to the Chicago Sky and Chelsea Gray to the Las Vegas Aces, Magic Johnson, Eric Holoman and Derek Fisher understood that one day does not make a free agency period.

So despite losing two pieces of its core that made up the championship team of 2016 (and Finals team of 2017), the Sparks went and signed veteran point guard Erica Wheeler, formerly of the Indiana Fever.

The move for Wheeler, of course, has an effect for both the Sparks and Fever. On the Indiana side of things, they not only lost Wheeler but Natalie Achonwa to the Minnesota Lynx. Candice Dupree will also depart, but they did sign Jantel Lavender.

For the Sparks, it further shows the franchise’s “reload over rebuild” mindset. Los Angeles also re-upped with Nneka Ogwumike, who was the MVP of the 2016 Finals that the Sparks won in five games over the Lynx.

Wheeler had an introductory press conference welcoming her to Tinseltown. Unlike previous pressers, the entire 25-minute conference was livestreamed via the Sparks’ Twitter account. Her story was well-documented at the 2019 All-Star Game in Las Vegas when Wheeler, after being undrafted, won MVP at that year’s game.

She began her remarks by thanking Tamika Catchings, the Fever’s general manager, and the organization for her years in the Hoosier State. She then thanked Fisher for giving her the opportunity to take her talents to the west coast.


He’s an amazing dude, man. I just want to thank him for giving me this opportunity to come to LA and be in this championship atmosphere.

–Erica Wheeler, Los Angeles Sparks

She mentioned that part of the process that got her to Los Angeles involved a conversation with Fisher, as well as recognizing where she is in her career with a seemingly permanent chip on her shoulder being undrafted.


LA just seemed perfect…I want to win a championship. They know what it’s like to win a championship.

–Erica Wheeler, Los Angeles Sparks

Wheeler says that she is still wrapping her mind around the fact that she will be taking the court at a basketball cathedral such as Staples Center. She believes that one element of the Sparks’ game that can really be lethal is the pick and roll with her, Te’a Cooper and Kristi Toliver.


We know Toliver can shoot the heck out of the ball and … my ability to come off the pick and roll and shoot the ball and being able to read and then Te’a Cooper just being young and just being able to have that urge to want to be great.

–Erica Wheeler, Los Angeles Sparks

Wheeler, currently is overseas and mentioned how life has been affected in those countries as well by the coronavirus pandemic. As for Fisher, Wheeler believes that because of Fisher’s status as a former NBA player that it will help her game as well. She anticipates that Fisher’s offense will be uptempo.

Because of the Sparks’ status as seemingly being year-in and year-out contenders, Wheeler did not express any concern that things would be rougher in southern California without Parker and Gray.


LA is LA…They’re going to always be good. They’re going always figure out a way to be good. And we still have some key players…yeah, we have some young players that’s hungry and we also have some veterans like Nneka, Toliver that won championships. So, they know what it’s like.

–Erica Wheeler, Los Angeles Sparks

One of her teammates from her Fever days was Betnijah Laney, who was named Most Improved Player from last season in the bubble and parlayed that into a new deal with the New York Liberty. Wheeler says she told Laney to not stress too much about where to play next and make the decision that she felt most comfortable with. Wheeler believes that with a backcourt that includes her and Toliver that it will lead to more shots for both since both are difficult to guard.

Having the conversation with Catchings, she says, about not returning to Indiana was a difficult one, because as she put it, she has put others ahead of herself throughout her career.


To be able to tell her that and … I almost, kind of, (broke) her heart in a sense. It was tough. Because at the end of the day, yeah, she’s my GM, but she also was a teammate and also is a mentor. So, it was kind of hard. But, I know she still loves me and she’s happy for my journey and that’s all it can be.

–Erica Wheeler, Los Angeles Sparks

Wheeler also echoed thoughts that was shared by Parker in her introductory press conference with the Sky where she talked about the importance of player empowerment and how free agency is an encapsulation of that.

Two of the things Wheeler mentioned later on in the press conference was consistency and keeping her mental health right.


Everybody that was in that gym and all over the world felt my presence. So, I think that definitely opened up everything on … the basketball and off the court.

–Erica Wheeler, Los Angeles Sparks

Wheeler did also reflect on how her road to this point in the WNBA got her to this point. She admitted that there was a point where she thought maybe she had bit off more than she could chew. She felt after being undrafted, then being cut by the Atlanta Dream that perhaps it was too much before her stints with the Liberty and Fever turned things around.

She also recently signed with Distinction Agency which is based in Miami. Wheeler has also done camps for children in South Florida and is open to the idea of bringing those camps to southern California.

With Wheeler’s experience, she may be able to seamlessly transition into a leadership role that may be vacated by Parker and Gray, but could also be assumed by some of the other veterans on the team such as Toliver and the Ogwumike sisters.


I’m (going to) be a leader regardless of the matter because I’ve got the ball in my hand most of the time and just be able to put my team in a position to win and help my teammates out and just communicate. I think that’s the most important part is to communicate on and off the court.

–Erica Wheeler, Los Angeles Sparks

As with any star player, Wheeler is not only bringing her style of play to the Sparks, but herself to Los Angeles. She let Sparks fans know that she not only wants to contribute to continuing Los Angeles’ winning ways, but that she is a winner in the community as well. And given her career trajectory, her message can especially ring true to those who may have doubted themselves in any aspect of life.


LA, just know that you’re going to get a player that’s going to play with passion – the will to want to win on all levels … and (I) always play hard. I’m going to play hard to the end.

–Erica Wheeler, Los Angeles Sparks


I’m a prime example that … doors can get shut in your face at any given time, but as long as you keep moving and you find another door to walk through, anything is possible. And I think I’m living proof, walking proof of that.

–Erica Wheeler, Los Angeles Sparks

By bolstering the backcourt, it also helps the frontcourt which will be anchored by Nneka Ogwumike.

Wheeler also delivered a message that may be seen as a preview of what she may say in her camps. To the young girls, she says, watch the WNBA. Also, take more opportunities to head to camps like the ones she has done before in Florida.


Go out to these camps, whether it’s men’s or women’s camps, go out to these camps and learn different skills. And put in extra work always. Just because you work with your coach an hour or two hours, it’s another hour you need to put because at the end of the day, it’s hard for the women’s side.

–Erica Wheeler, Los Angeles Sparks

She emphasized how there are so many players around the world that want to be in the WNBA, but there’s only 144 spots available.

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